Human Ambition
by Jetstreamer182
Summary: It seems there's another evil around. Rufus is in a lot of trouble! I hope this will develop well. I won't add more unless I get some reviews of course!
1. The Corruption and the Awakening

Author's Note: Hiya! This is going to be my first fic, so don't expect much. I don't own anything that does belong to anyone else, like the Squaresoft characters. I'm just making a fic starring them. Read and review, but try to take it easy on the "cliffhanger." It's cheesy, but I think I can do something with it. 

Human Ambition 

As Rufus was packing his bags, he reviewed the fax. "So, father's retiring? No wonder I'm being sent in. He's far too old to do anything." He looked around for anything else he might need from his suite. He didn't have many possessions, but the things he did have he had an exceeding amount of protection over. Reno and Rude were there to escort him. 

Reno replies, "Of course you're to go in. You do know your responsibilities, don't you?" 

"Yes, yes. Of course I do. But I want to make this straight. I am the kind of man who can't and never could abide the tongue-tied ruler who through fear backs away from sound advice. And I find intolerable the man who puts his country second to his friends." Reno nodded and Rude was quickly scribbling down what Rufus was saying. "For instance, if I saw ruin and danger heading for the state, I would speak out. Never could I make my country's enemy my private friend. 

"So there you have my principles by which I govern. That is why the first thing I shall do in my position of president is place an edict that all of the terrorists and all related to them will be punished for their acts against this city and its government. Did you get that recorded?" 

"Yes, sir." Rude replied. '_Blah blah, like we care,' he thought to himself. _

"Sir, we really should be getting to the building. Your helicopter is ready." Reno reminded the new president. "Hojo wants me to go after the Ancient since I found her today." 

"Where did you find her?" Rufus asked. 

"In the Sector 5 church. I have been given reports that she has passed through Sector 6 en route to Sector 7." 

"Sector 7? Hmm." 

"I think she was found with a spiky haired freak." 

Rufus glanced over the fax again. "It says that a black man with a gun for an arm, a spiky blonde haired man with a buster sword, and a busty brown haired woman were seen during the attack on the Sector 5 reactor. My father spoke with them," he said with an after thought. "I say that the terrorists are based in Sector 7 and should be dealt with. In fact, I see the whole Sector as a threat. Yes, the people must have been given money to keep their mouths closed. We shall have to punish them all with their lives." He was starting to pace around the room at an insane pace for not thinking about it. He didn't even brake into a sweat. 

Both Rude and Reno were disgruntled with the idea of taking out a whole sector. Rude stated the obvious, "Then the whole city would be in shock that Shinra would do such a thing." He was completely against the deaths of completely innocent people, especially from such a dishonorable death from above. 

"Ah, but that's where the beauty of it is. Show the rest what I will do to retain order in MY city. Anyone, ANYONE, who has objections will be tried for treason. Gentlemen, I shall govern through fear and order. And through the bodies of the innocent and our enemies, Shinra will emerge as the most powerful force on this world." 

If it was possible, it seemed Rufus paced even faster, almost as if he were in more than one place at once. The room started to darken and distort, and the wall-paper shredded to the ground, revealing ancient markings on the wall. They appeared to burn, with demonic screams coming from the walls themselves. The window blew open and a gust filled the room. 

"We will go through centuries developing." His hair whipped around his face. "And through mako, we will harness the raw power of Gaia's magic. And we will transform it. And one day, we will find a way to travel to new worlds. All through mako, and the will of Shinra!" 

Rufus' eyes glowed with such intensity, the walls started to flame outwards. They started to engulf Rufus, but instead of harming him, it only gave him more power. He reached out, flames balling in his palm. And standing there, he stared and they shot through. He took the flames in through his eyes, laughing. 

Insane? Maybe. Possessed? Only a bit. But it is all of Human Ambition. Reno and Rude were already subjugated by Rufus' will. The rest would have no chance. 

* * * * * * 

Gaia trembled, sending shockwaves through Midgar. "It seems as if Meteor is back to his tricks again." Gaia grumbled rubbing her eyes to wake up. She walked out of her sanctuary and into Middle World. She moved through that all of the summons felt the shockwaves and were awakened in the dead of the *night*. 

"What's going on?" Ifrit called to Ramuh, flames starting to roar into their usual state. 

"I would ask the same to you if I were fully awakened, and decently if at all!" Ramuh called down irritably, his hair in every which way from his own electricity. 

"Everybody calm down, Gaia must have her reasons," Phoenix tried to soothe everyone in her warmth. 

Gaia finally got to Holy and Meteor's room. They were apparently still asleep. Gaia calmly knocked on their door. Holy immediately opened the door. Her eyes were the definition of innocence. "Hello Gaia. A bit late isn't it?" They soon turned to mischief, with a grin to go with it. 

"Sorry to bother you two, Holy, but I need to speak to Meteor." Gaia replied, not at all disgruntled, yet a bit testy. 

"How can I help you Gaia?" Meteor politely asked, his eyes neutral to the great Gaia, but always glowing a menacing darkness. "I hope I haven't earned myself a beating from the entire summons for getting you up." 

"Well Meteor, it seems there has been some disturbance in the living world. A very serious one. More specifically, Midgar and the new President of Shinra, Rufus." 

"Yes, Rufus. He is a calculating one. Always for gain. I've played with him. Giving him a situation and see how he reacts. His ideas were often original. Surprised me once or twice. But nothing more than that, if that's what this whole meeting is about." He showed as much innocence as Holy, even though clearly a demon with no innocence at all. 

"That may be true, however there is something much more serious here. I was in my sanctuary and such dark forces were stirring that I was awakened. You haven't done any demonics with him, have you?" Gaia was still clearly concerned about this disturbance. 

"Demonics?" Holy repeated. "He would never. You know he stopped after that other incident!" 

"Yes, child, but this evil is far stronger than anything new. It is obvious that it is very old magic, even before the new materia," Gaia closed her eyes for a good minute before replying quite upset, "It feels like a blend of old and new." 

Gaia suddenly shouted out, extremely distressed, "Rufus is plotting to use mako for centuries! To take MY magic and change its pure form. And use it to travel to other worlds! I knew some other force has to be influencing him. But I see no malice or lies in your words." Once again, shockwave emanated from her in both Middle World and the Living World." 

Holy spoke up, her voice a whisper, "Yes, of course he is telling the truth. But if what you are assuming is true, there are two possibilities." Her eyes showed no innocence, only sadness and fear. Emotions she should never know. 

Gaia replied hesitantly, "Yes child, two things. Either Jenova is back or we are against a new threat. Hopefully it will not be another Jenova, or all may be in dire danger." 

Yet another Author's Note: Heh, not bad, eh? Yes, that was an Antigone quote. Yes, I do have Diablo 2 and Warcraft 3. No, I'm not insane but my muse, Coby, is just a bit. If you know Lady Yashodoa, she's my net buddy, so expect slightly similar thoughts. 


	2. The Fall of Three and the Rise of Two Ev...

Author's Note: Here's the next chap! Plot's way different than the game, but it's alright. Oh, and my muse has gone, so it's just me and my one day depression. On with the story!

As the plate crashed down, the helicopter flew away, dodging the falling debris easily. Cloud panicked, and started running in circles. Tifa couldn't move from her spot. Barret looked for some way to escape.

"C'mon ya fools! This wire'll get us out of here." Tifa snapped to, and wrapped around Barret's left arm. Cloud stopped, took a big breath, and wrapped around Barret's right gun-arm.

They glided down, explosions right behind them. Tifa cried out when bits of stone pelted her in the back. However, for some unknown reason, the cable snapped as the three were twenty feet high. They tumbled down, crashing to the ground and rolled until they came to stop. They stopped only ten feet from the gate to the playground, but they couldn't move. Cloud reached, but before he passed out, the plate fell. In a news report, Shinra reported no civilian casualties.

* * * * * *

Aeris couldn't believe it. She couldn't do anything. She knew they were going to make it, but it felt some malicious force defied fate. Gaia was in pain.

She started sobbing, reliving the brief moments Aeris had with Cloud and Tifa. She could almost tell what sort of adventures were to come with them all, as if they were already planned out. But they were thrown away now. '_At least Marlene is safe_.' But she was in no safe position at all.

'_But poor Cloud and Tifa._' Aeris wanted so much more to happen. '_The struggle over Cloud would have been so much fun, if depressing at times._'

'_And Cloud, his roguish attitude was so appealing. But there was always a sorrow, straight from his eyes. The deep blue not calming but depressing. And never to see his spikes, his utterly impossible spikes, ever again._'

'_Then Tifa. She would have been a great friend, even with that bust. But now was not the time for jealousy_.'

'_There's no one to help me. I guess I'll just have to help myself_.' As the helicopter touched down, she was knocked out. 

* * * * * *

Hojo was delighted. A whole sector, top and bottom, was gone. Who knew what evolve from it? He would know, that's who, as soon as he started to lend a helping hand to the environment.

The Ancient was on her way, and soon he would be able to experiment. Rufus had no clue about Hojo's plans, the ignorant fool. '_Yes, I will have my way!_'

"Your way?" The voice boomed, quite amused. "I don't know what is more entertaining, you believing yourself, or how I will have to punish you." Rufus glided into the laboratory, his aura almost matching the surrounding's, only his had more sanity, and a stronger evil.

"Hmm. Nice to see you Rufus. Never would I have expected this. I didn't even play a part in the fusion." His own demons felt upon Rufus'. Hojo soon knew that it was a very different Rufus he was talking to. Hojo had to check his tongue, but at the same time to not sound suspicious.

"Now Hojo," Rufus was still nonchalant, "first things first. The Ancient."

"What would you need with the Ancient?" Hojo tried not to panic, his biggest prize for many years, taken from him?

"You may have her body." Hojo was quite relieved. "However, I want her soul."

"Soul?" '_Hmmm,what would he need the soul for_?' "I usually release them."

"You do? Well, my Maronsi here enjoys souls. Loves them. And instead of absorbing mine, he decided to…" Rufus paused, thinking. "Ah yes, he decided to bond with me."

Hojo wondered if this was the truth. "As I am also."

Rufus turned to face Hojo, "Are you really? I, unlike you, am supervised and mentored by Maronsi. I am not merely allowed to be free like you are."

Hojo was hurt, but of course didn't show a trace of the emotion. "I am quite happy with Prebenic. We have a bond that works well for both of us." 

Hojo started to go back to his work, quickly forgetting the conversation and Rufus. The only reason he could forget would be Prebenic's powers to keep Hojo as apathetic as possible to concentrate on his work.

"You may feel," Rufus knew exactly what Prebenic had done, and let Maronsi take the lead, "what you wish, but you do not," Hojo was startled, because apart from Rufus physically getting bigger…, "have anything," … and Maronsi started to show himself, a large menacing smoke gathering behind Rufus, "YOUR WAY!"

The room shook at the last two words, loose papers flew around, beakers exploding, and a very flabbergasted Hojo was staring blankly at the huge figure.

Rufus went back to his former shape and size, straightened out his suit, dusted it, and left with a devilish sneer, eyes still flaming.

"I had better clean up for the Ancient. Don't want to make a bad impression." Hojo pressed a button and some robots came to help clean up the decimated lab. Prebenic was as mad as a raging bull, and would soon find a way to either get back at Maronsi, or try to get a high position under him. So much for a good day.


End file.
